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Page 281
for that engraved deep in his heart," he remarked bitterly.
Having finished with her hair, Alinor twisted on her stool to look at her husband. "Not really. I am not a liar by nature," she teased.
Ian's fists clenched, but he made an enormous effort of will. "Alinor," he said softly, "how long do you think two marks will keep the man silent? Will he not soon ask for more, and then for more?"
"What man?"
Her husband took a step forward, obviously near to losing his control. "You may lie to whom else you like, but not to me. Not to me!"
"On Simon's soul," Alinor replied, "I have spoken nor acted no lie to you in this room here and nownor any other time. What takes place in this chamber is between your heart and mine, and I do not and will not lie."
That cooled Ian like a cold douche. What Alinor swore on Simon's soul was true; she might risk her own damnation, but not Simon's. His hands opened. "Let me understand you," he said reasonably. "Your men took and held the messenger prisoner?" Alinor nodded confirmation. "By whose arrangement, if you did not bribe him, did he come into the hall just after the swearing so that his business would be known to all so conveniently?"
"By God's or the devil's," Alinor replied soberly. "I swear it was not by mine. I told my men to release him this day, so much was my doing, but I made no other arrangement. How could I? I will confess that, could I have arranged such a thing, I would have gladly done it, but it seemed impossible. How could I know where the woodcutters would be working? How could I know whether a sheep might have strayed here or there to bring a shepherd after it? Without such knowledge, I dared not tell the huntsmen exactly where to release their prisoner. Then, he had to be left bound lest he try

 
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